In 1980, a vibrant garnet-feathered bird with a giant yellow bill burst onto the scene at the University of South Carolina.

With cheers of “Cocky! Cocky!” echoing through the room, the University of South Carolina’s beloved mascot high-fived students, setting the stage for a day filled with reading, learning ...

The new name won’t be Big Spur, which was the name used for USC’s costumed mascot in the pre-1980s and before the creation of Cocky. The university’s legal team “advised against using an o ...